Policy
www.nesta.org.uk/policy/
www.nesta.org.uk/policy/
We develop and promote policy ideas that are critical to achieving our three missions.
We identify gaps in policy thinking on the economic and social challenges facing the UK and propose, design and test new and innovative ideas and policies to fill them.
Working with governments to improve the ‘how’ of policy, we design methods that support better and more effective delivery.
We build products that enable people to engage with some of the difficult trade-offs and choices that governments have to make. Embodying test and learn in practice, we convene networks of those working in policy to together trial new ideas, find out what works and strengthen our thinking.
For more on Nesta’s policy work related to our three missions, visit the fairer start, healthy life, and sustainable future pages.
We work with the governments in both Edinburgh and Cardiff to deliver better and more effectively. This year there are also critical elections in both Scotland and Wales. For more on our devolved policy work visit the Nesta Scotland and Nesta Cymru pages below.
Options for the UK is Nesta’s home for new ideas and radical thinking on policy.
Governments need to be more radical and less incremental in their policymaking. The challenges facing the UK are too big and too urgent to rely on the same policy playbook.
At Nesta, we have experts and expertise that can help governments to think bigger and more radically on how we can shift the dial on big social and economic challenges.
At our annual event, we discuss, debate and consider potential policy solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the UK. Last year’s focus was on how the UK could ‘do policy differently’ to drive radical change.
Policy Live will be back this year on 10 September 2026. Expect to see a full and interactive programme focused on the issues of the day.
If you would like to join us this year, you can express your interest in a place now. Or you can sign up to the Nesta newsletter to make sure you hear about our programme first.
